Energy Blast – Aug 2, 2011

State-run Petrovietnam has launched its first licensing round in four years, covering nine offshore blocks.  Keeping its title as top producer, Russia’s July oil output, at 10.26 million bpd, is a post-Soviet high (previously matched in May).  Siemens and Russia’s Power Machines are setting up a gas turbine joint venture.  Security forces in Iran have cracked down on those suspected of being involved in a gas pipeline blast last week that halted deliveries to Turkey – three suspects were killed, and four were arrested.  Germany’s E.On says it has opened arbitration proceedings in relation to its supply relationship with Gazprom.  Plans to merge Russia’s Gazprom with Ukraine’s Naftogaz have been abandoned, leading Russian President Dmitry Medvedev to cancel his plans to visit the country.  China’s push for renewable energy includes the aim to raise solar power capacity by ten times over the next five years by paying developers to feed energy into the grid.